E2T2 Portfolio Page for Noel Falk and Stephanie Gallegos
Summary of 6th Grade Reading Blogs
Students will create their own Inner Voice Reading Blog to record their metacognition while they are reading. This will be used as a formative assessment in which teachers (Falk and Gallegos) provide feedback according class created rubric and gauge where they are in achieving the target. Students will also use the class created Inner Voice Rubric to provide feedback to each other through "blog buddies."
Lesson Plan: Introducing our Social Studies to Wikis to engage students in Collective Learning Narrative: A classroom Wiki can provide students the opportunity to collectively develop an understanding of Guiding Questions, Long Term Learning Targets and daily content. The Wiki is used as a forum for student voices. Students have the opportunity to ask questions around the content, comment on each other's thinking, and research a topic of interest and post their learning. This Wiki is used as a formative assessment tool, as students are working their way through the content using collective learning. Subject: Social Studies Grade: 6th Unit of Study: Immigration Unit's Guiding Questions:
1. Why do people immigrate?
2. Why does prejudice exist?
3. How does the American Dream Exist Today?
Unit's Long Term Learning Targets: LTLT #1: I can describe the push/pull factors for Irish immigrants who came to the United States. LTLT #2: I can explain the journey the Irish took in realizing the American Dream. LTLT # 3: I can describe the reasons why Mexicans immigrate to America. LTLT #4: I can explain American attitudes towards Mexican immigrants during each of the 3 waves of immigration. LTLT #5:I can determine importance by evaluating historical information to see if it meets my specific need and has credibility. LTLT #6:I can define the American Dream and describe how it exists today.
ISTE Standards: 1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking and construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression. 2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. interact, collaborate and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures
Day's Lesson Objectives:
I can define what a wiki is and how wikis are used.
I can understand the expectations and guideline when I post on the wiki.
I can post a comment, pose a question, or respond to another classmate that reflects my learning up to date.
Instructional Steps: Hook: Ask student to define wiki. Record answers. Explain that in Social Studies we are going to start to capture our thinking around our learning using a wiki. Explain that the wiki has been established to serve as a "gallery" for you to share your experiences, your work, and your newly gained knowledge with each other. We will discuss, post work and build our understanding of the Guiding Questions and Long Term Learning Targets. Mini-lesson:
Log on to the wiki and show students the first page. Go over the expectations and guidelines. Think-Pair-Share: Turn to a partner and share one expectation of the wiki and explain why you think our class has that expectation. Model: By thinking aloud, show students how to look at the target or guiding question and post a comment. Then show student how to respond to someone else. Guided Practice: Have a volunteer student come up and post a comment as the class and teacher coach them. Independent Practice: Remind students of the targets. Have students log on to the wiki and post comments, pose questions, or ask new questions.
As students work, circulate to give feedback and find exemplars to highlight for the class. Debrief: Highlight posts that are meeting the target. Ask students why those posts meet the criteria? How do you see the wiki as a way to help deepen our learning? Assessment: The wiki is set up in the manner that each page is a Long Term Learning Target (LTLT)– similar to standards based reporting – students are assessed on their knowledge of each LTLT. The wiki is set up so that students can add to their thinking, ask and answer questions about each LTLT as they learn more. The wiki serves as a form of Formative Assessment. The wiki was a forum for understanding, and summative assessments were used in other areas. After the initial posting, teachers will log on to see what areas the students need help in. We soon discovered that students needed to be able to back up their statements with facts and examples. This became a mini-lesson opportunity to show students how to do that and have them practice. We teamed up with the technology teacher, and students had 10 minutes 2 times a week to post on the wiki (or their reading blog). This helped with computer access for those students who did not have computers at home. Though the wiki was not differentiated, if we saw a student post incorrect information, or saw a gap in their learning, we would address that in class at a later time.
Noel Falk's Narrative:
By participating in the E2T2 Cohort, I have learned that I need to “play” around with new technology before I feel comfortable with having my students work with it. Therefore, my implementation can take longer. However, when I am confident, I can plan accordingly and execute my plans with ease. I am aware of the pitfalls and successes, and can share my experiences with my students. My philosophy of backward planning was confirmed…through my E2T2 classes, it is evident that you needed direction and an end result with the tools that we were using. Each day that we met as a cohort, we were given instruction, and then application time. This was essential in my growth.
I think that my students were motivated more to use the technology tools that I learned about. Though I think that some of their motivation came from that fact that I was very transparent with them. I would come in and say to them, “Hey, I learned something really cool, and I want you to try it!” Knowing that I was learning with them, allowed them to take greater risks in doing something that was new to them too.
I have used student reflection in the past. But in the past, the reflection has been in a journal that students write in. The conversation was just between me and the student. This year, we used student reflection in blogs and on a class wiki. Both were visible to other class members. The impact that these two tools had on our students is that it promoted higher-level thinking and deeper thinking. These tools gave students the avenue to speak “aloud”. It allowed those that need more think time, the time to draft and post. It gave students a voice, and they felt that they were being heard. This is powerful. And I hope to continue using these tools next year. I hope to share some of my thinking for next year with my team to allow for greater collaboration. My plan was to start with my learning, bring it to my team next year, and see how we, as a team, can impact the rest of our building.
Stephanie Gallegos' Narrative: 1. What did you learn about yourself from this program in the context of planning instruction and learning activities? What facets of this program contributed to this learning?
For many years I have already been planning with the end in mind and using products for assessments that require students to work together, connect to bigger ideas in life, and as much as possible have the products have a real world connection. The work in this cohort has reconfirmed that “backwards” planning can positively impact student achievement. What has been lacking is purposefully planning of technology to enhance this learning. I also needed to carefully look at what 21st Century learning standards could be added or enhanced in the instruction or learning activities. As far as this program I liked the fact that each time we met there was a different focus or aspect of 21st Century learning highlighted. It helped me as a learner dig deeper into on aspect. I now am consciously aware to ask myself what 21st Century learning skills am I incorporating into my lessons, investigations, or expeditions. I can also take a look at what skills need more reinforcement.
2. Did your student achieve a greater level of motivation and engagement based on the activities you prepared for them? What contributed most to this increase or lack thereof?
I absolutely saw a greater level of motivation and engagement with the use of blogging, the Social Studies wiki, and the fact that we had a class set of ipods. In fact, student collaboration went up as students were helping each other with the ipods, maneuvering around the blogs or on the wiki. Many times I was asked, are we blogging today or can I get on and post comments on the wiki at home?
One thing that still remains on my mind is how do we ensure all students are accessing the wiki or adding to it? Many students don’t have access to a computer at home and I see the “digital” have and “have-nots” as a big problem just as our achievement gap.
3. What specific teaching practice did you implement (either new or modified) and what was the impact on learning?
In Reading class we have students silent read everyday and we ask student to capture their “inner voice” so they can become metacoginitive thinkers, thinkers that know what they are thinking and why. We spend a great deal of time pushing kids out of retelling and summarizing and getting them to record the voice in their head. This year we decided to use blogs as a way for students to record their inner voice and then to comment and give feedback to others. Students were excited to set up their blog and once we got them hooked up with a blog buddy they were even more excited to get on a converse.
4. What are your next steps both in the classroom and in your building based on new experience or knowledge you now possess?
In the area of blogs I would like to push students to converse even more and with more depth. I believe that we can get them there but this summer I would like to design some lessons around giving feedback and how to enrich literature discussions via blogging.
I really want to incorporate voice threads into our Social Studies class next year- my first idea is to create a voice thread that will serve as a building background knowledge activity. For our school, I would LOVE to see more teachers embrace technology and become more vocal about putting money towards tools that will help classrooms get more access to the internet. Labs are always busy and until teachers see the power of using tools like blogs, wikis, and voice threads- we will continue having to be stuck without access to the lab.
Literature Review
Noel Falk's Literature Review:
Over the course of the year, I participated in the E2T2 Grant Cohort. Part of what we were charged with doing was to read and reflect on Reinventing Project Based Learning by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss (2007). Much of this book acted as a confirmation of what I am already doing well. Though it did a good job in highlighting what I need to do to build up my knowledge in my weaker areas of project based learning.
My training in an Expeditionary Learning School over the past few years has changed the way I think about planning, executing plans, assessment and engagement of my students. Boss and Krauss confirmed much of what I already had believed to be important. For example, in Chapter 3, “Imagining The Possibilities”, the authors raise the point that when thinking about your project, teachers need to keep in mind the point of the student. They ask, “Why should they [students] care (52)?” I believe that a project should be meaningful, authentic and realistic to real life. When my teaching partner and I, Stephanie Gallegos, set out to establish Reading Reflection Blogs with our students, our purpose was to provide an avenue for students to critique their own thinking, the author’s and character’s thinking, and each other’s thinking. Though most students will not grow up to be book reviewers, they will need to be able to think critically about their own work, and the work of others and be able to eloquently share their perspectives. Students were engaged in the blogs because they knew their teachers were going to provide feedback to them, as well as their peers, and that they too, would provide feedback.
I also found Chapter 6, “Project Launch – Implementation Strategies” useful and reaffirming. I agree with Boss and Krauss that teachers should take “time to inspire interest and learn what students already know and care about (95).” I liked the section “Ideas for Generating Interest and Promoting Inquiry.” This section discusses ideas on how to immerse students into a project, build curiosity and provide a way to build their background knowledge. When we started our reading blogs, we first introduced students to the reading blogs that Stephanie Gallegos and I were using to reflect on our own reading. We modeled with our blog writing daily of what we expected of our students. After modeling how to use the blog and what to include, we then modeled how we provided each other with feedback. It was a good 6 weeks before students themselves set up their own blogs. However, they were comfortable with the format, comfortable with the content that they needed to include and comfortable with our feedback before we started them in on their own blogs. Setting students up for success is key when thinking about project-based learning.
Most importantly, I found Chapters 9 and 10 the most in line with my educational philosophy. These chapters focused on meaningful assessment and reflection and celebration. On page 141, the authors ask the question, “How will you measure student progress toward the specific learning goals you established in the beginning?” My answer was with communicating the clear intended learning targets/outcomes (based on the state’s standards) at the start of the learning process. Students should be aware, at all time, of where they are now (in attaining the targets), where they are going, and how they will get there. It is with clearly written targets that students can reflect constantly and adjust their learning. Ultimately, it is with reflection that students realize the power of which they are as learners, and what they have learned.
I found, that through reading this book, my weakness in project-based learning is with those projects that require teamwork and collaboration. What I found frustrating about the book is that a lot of examples were offered, but there weren’t many, step by step guidance’s of how to implement. For example, on page 85, there is a section on “Students’ Project-Management Needs” and the authors list project management tools and strategies students will need. This is a great list, but I often felt that there were no concrete explanations on how to achieve some of these ideas.
I also felt overwhelmed with the teacher examples and technology ideas. They are great ideas, but this book is one that I needed to read over the summer so I had the time to research the sites and tools I found captivating.
Stephanie Gallegos' Literature Review:
1. Which element discussed in this book did you find most usefully, if any? Why? What factors made this strategy or concept powerful for you?
While many parts of this book stuck out to me I really found the first section on Professional Learning Communities to be inspiring. The book states, “If I could do one thing for teachers to make school better for students, I’d find a way to have teachers have more time to work with each other and develop collaborative projects.”(Boss & Krauss, p.25) The book goes on to lay out the case for the many positives and benefits to working as a team of teachers on projects. I have to say that this is a critical component of designing, implementing, and assessing projects.
We are fortunate in Eagle County to have time for professional development within cluster, oftentimes cluster is focused on new learning and the chance to sit down with a team of teachers to collaborate on a project together doesn’t happen as often as I would like. In my experience, many schools don’t have team time and if they do that time is spent discussing student needs and problems of the day to day teaching that occur, not long range planning or laying out projects.
What if schools were organized in such a fashion that collaborative planning was put as one of the highest priority? What if teachers were so sold out to the idea of co-creating projects and that norms, protocols, and deep reflection and action were a part of every team planning? I have worked on team where this has been a high value and I have worked on others where it has not. I have enjoyed my teaching the most when I have a team that collaborates, risk takes, and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. Oftentimes we work for many hours outside of school and each other homes while our kids play with each other. I am willing to do this but my mind thinks about how nice it would be for the master schedule to reflect the power in this belief.
The introduction to this book is titled, “I’ll never go back” (Boss & Krauss, p. 3). That is exactly how I felt after I started working at an Expeditionary Learning school. Never before had I such rich professional development and watched as I became more of coach, learning with the kids, instead of being the “sage on the stage”. This is why the power of collaboration was on of the most powerful concepts in the book. I believe it to be true. One of the teacher highlights sums up exactly how I feel, “For me it was a tipping point. Working together didn’t cost us anything other than time, but it made a huge difference in our classrooms. This was nourishment for us. It changed my worldview.” (Boss & Krauss, p. 28)
2. Did the content of this book change any aspect of your educational philosophy? Why?
This book did not change any aspect of my educational philosophy; it just confirmed what I believe. It was a good reminder about how planning is essential to instruction and student achievement. It also made me screen projects I have done in the past through the “21st Century Learning” lens. As I development and launch projects I have found myself to be more critical of if the project truly achieves the big ideas, driving questions, hits the standards, and assess what I think I am assessing.
Another belief that was confirmed is student ownership and passing on the project management to the students. I especially enjoyed the section on “Project Management with Technology” where tips were given for teacher and students on how to manage the project. (Boss & Krauss, p.84-85) As teachers this is what we strive for, students doing the work and the thinking and for the teachers to be in the background creating conditions to make this happen.
3. What elements of this book did you find insufficient or left you in need of more information?
This question draws me back to the title, Reinventing Project-Based Learning and while I don’t believe this book was insufficient I kept feeling like if I didn’t have the background I did coming into this cohort on project-based learning I may have been overwhelmed and lost. Reinventing suggests that the reader already knows what project-based learning is. I am glad that I already had a solid understanding of these concepts.
Another area that left me wanting more was not in the area of information but just time. It frustrated me that I didn’t have the time to check out all of the websites and resources in the book. I know that I still have the book as the resource but this book is the type I need to read over the summer so I can process everything in it and then create a plan of action.
I have always been teacher who loves practical ideas and books that has practical ideas. This book is one of them. I will have to re-read this book because I know how many ideas and resources are in here. One suggestion I would like to make is letting teachers have this book the summer before the cohort so those of us like me who really like to process all the information have time to do that.
4. Did the content of this book help you have an increased impact on your student’s learning? How? Please site specific examples.
Above anything else I felt like when we introduced the blog, wiki, photo essay, etc students felt like we were valuing and honoring them as learners. Even when we were having glitch after technical glitch the students hung right they’re with us. When students feel they are being truly thought about and honored they are willing to climb over any obstacle to achieve the expectations set out for them. For specific examples you only need to read some of the comments on the Social Studies wiki to see students weighing in on their own thinking and pushing each other to think deeper. Students blogs also show they are taking serious what we have asked them to do. Evidence of growth can be seen in examples from what students were producing at the beginning to now what kind of synthesis we are seeing.
E2T2 Portfolio Page for Noel Falk and Stephanie GallegosSummary of 6th Grade Reading Blogs
Students will create their own Inner Voice Reading Blog to record their metacognition while they are reading. This will be used as a formative assessment in which teachers (Falk and Gallegos) provide feedback according class created rubric and gauge where they are in achieving the target. Students will also use the class created Inner Voice Rubric to provide feedback to each other through "blog buddies."Shared Lessons, Units, and Resources
Lesson Plan: Introducing our Social Studies to Wikis to engage students in Collective Learning
Narrative: A classroom Wiki can provide students the opportunity to collectively develop an understanding of Guiding Questions, Long Term Learning Targets and daily content. The Wiki is used as a forum for student voices. Students have the opportunity to ask questions around the content, comment on each other's thinking, and research a topic of interest and post their learning. This Wiki is used as a formative assessment tool, as students are working their way through the content using collective learning.
Subject: Social Studies
Grade: 6th
Unit of Study: Immigration
Unit's Guiding Questions:
- 1. Why do people immigrate?
- 2. Why does prejudice exist?
- 3. How does the American Dream Exist Today?
Unit's Long Term Learning Targets:LTLT #1: I can describe the push/pull factors for Irish immigrants who came to the United States.
LTLT #2: I can explain the journey the Irish took in realizing the American Dream.
LTLT # 3: I can describe the reasons why Mexicans immigrate to America.
LTLT #4: I can explain American attitudes towards Mexican immigrants during each of the 3 waves of immigration.
LTLT #5: I can determine importance by evaluating historical information to see if it meets my specific need and has credibility.
LTLT #6: I can define the American Dream and describe how it exists today.
ISTE Standards:
1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking and construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
2. Communication and Collaboration: Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
a. interact, collaborate and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures
Day's Lesson Objectives:
I can define what a wiki is and how wikis are used.
I can understand the expectations and guideline when I post on the wiki.
I can post a comment, pose a question, or respond to another classmate that reflects my learning up to date.
Instructional Steps:
Hook: Ask student to define wiki. Record answers. Explain that in Social Studies we are going to start to capture our thinking around our learning using a wiki. Explain that the wiki has been established to serve as a "gallery" for you to share your experiences, your work, and your newly gained knowledge with each other. We will discuss, post work and build our understanding of the Guiding Questions and Long Term Learning Targets.
Mini-lesson:
Log on to the wiki and show students the first page. Go over the expectations and guidelines.
Think-Pair-Share: Turn to a partner and share one expectation of the wiki and explain why you think our class has that expectation.
Model: By thinking aloud, show students how to look at the target or guiding question and post a comment. Then show student how to respond to someone else.
Guided Practice: Have a volunteer student come up and post a comment as the class and teacher coach them.
Independent Practice: Remind students of the targets. Have students log on to the wiki and post comments, pose questions, or ask new questions.
As students work, circulate to give feedback and find exemplars to highlight for the class.
Debrief: Highlight posts that are meeting the target. Ask students why those posts meet the criteria? How do you see the wiki as a way to help deepen our learning?
Assessment: The wiki is set up in the manner that each page is a Long Term Learning Target (LTLT)– similar to standards based reporting – students are assessed on their knowledge of each LTLT. The wiki is set up so that students can add to their thinking, ask and answer questions about each LTLT as they learn more. The wiki serves as a form of Formative Assessment. The wiki was a forum for understanding, and summative assessments were used in other areas. After the initial posting, teachers will log on to see what areas the students need help in. We soon discovered that students needed to be able to back up their statements with facts and examples. This became a mini-lesson opportunity to show students how to do that and have them practice. We teamed up with the technology teacher, and students had 10 minutes 2 times a week to post on the wiki (or their reading blog). This helped with computer access for those students who did not have computers at home. Though the wiki was not differentiated, if we saw a student post incorrect information, or saw a gap in their learning, we would address that in class at a later time.
Check out our Wiki!
6th Grade Wiki
Blog Entries
Noel Falk's Blog
Journey Into the 21st Century
Stephanie Gallegos's Blog
Thinking about Technology
Student Work Samples
6th Grade Student Claudette
Claudette's Thinking
6th Grade Student Dawson
Dawson K's thinking
6th Grade Student Emma
Emma's Thinking
6th Grade Student Yessenia
yessenia's thinking
6th Grade Student Vanessa
Vanessa's Thinking
Summative Narrative
Noel Falk's Narrative:
By participating in the E2T2 Cohort, I have learned that I need to “play” around with new technology before I feel comfortable with having my students work with it. Therefore, my implementation can take longer. However, when I am confident, I can plan accordingly and execute my plans with ease. I am aware of the pitfalls and successes, and can share my experiences with my students. My philosophy of backward planning was confirmed…through my E2T2 classes, it is evident that you needed direction and an end result with the tools that we were using. Each day that we met as a cohort, we were given instruction, and then application time. This was essential in my growth.
I think that my students were motivated more to use the technology tools that I learned about. Though I think that some of their motivation came from that fact that I was very transparent with them. I would come in and say to them, “Hey, I learned something really cool, and I want you to try it!” Knowing that I was learning with them, allowed them to take greater risks in doing something that was new to them too.
I have used student reflection in the past. But in the past, the reflection has been in a journal that students write in. The conversation was just between me and the student. This year, we used student reflection in blogs and on a class wiki. Both were visible to other class members. The impact that these two tools had on our students is that it promoted higher-level thinking and deeper thinking. These tools gave students the avenue to speak “aloud”. It allowed those that need more think time, the time to draft and post. It gave students a voice, and they felt that they were being heard. This is powerful. And I hope to continue using these tools next year. I hope to share some of my thinking for next year with my team to allow for greater collaboration. My plan was to start with my learning, bring it to my team next year, and see how we, as a team, can impact the rest of our building.
Stephanie Gallegos' Narrative:
1. What did you learn about yourself from this program in the context of planning instruction and learning activities? What facets of this program contributed to this learning?
For many years I have already been planning with the end in mind and using products for assessments that require students to work together, connect to bigger ideas in life, and as much as possible have the products have a real world connection. The work in this cohort has reconfirmed that “backwards” planning can positively impact student achievement. What has been lacking is purposefully planning of technology to enhance this learning. I also needed to carefully look at what 21st Century learning standards could be added or enhanced in the instruction or learning activities. As far as this program I liked the fact that each time we met there was a different focus or aspect of 21st Century learning highlighted. It helped me as a learner dig deeper into on aspect. I now am consciously aware to ask myself what 21st Century learning skills am I incorporating into my lessons, investigations, or expeditions. I can also take a look at what skills need more reinforcement.
2. Did your student achieve a greater level of motivation and engagement based on the activities you prepared for them? What contributed most to this increase or lack thereof?
I absolutely saw a greater level of motivation and engagement with the use of blogging, the Social Studies wiki, and the fact that we had a class set of ipods. In fact, student collaboration went up as students were helping each other with the ipods, maneuvering around the blogs or on the wiki. Many times I was asked, are we blogging today or can I get on and post comments on the wiki at home?
One thing that still remains on my mind is how do we ensure all students are accessing the wiki or adding to it? Many students don’t have access to a computer at home and I see the “digital” have and “have-nots” as a big problem just as our achievement gap.
3. What specific teaching practice did you implement (either new or modified) and what was the impact on learning?
In Reading class we have students silent read everyday and we ask student to capture their “inner voice” so they can become metacoginitive thinkers, thinkers that know what they are thinking and why. We spend a great deal of time pushing kids out of retelling and summarizing and getting them to record the voice in their head. This year we decided to use blogs as a way for students to record their inner voice and then to comment and give feedback to others. Students were excited to set up their blog and once we got them hooked up with a blog buddy they were even more excited to get on a converse.
4. What are your next steps both in the classroom and in your building based on new experience or knowledge you now possess?
In the area of blogs I would like to push students to converse even more and with more depth. I believe that we can get them there but this summer I would like to design some lessons around giving feedback and how to enrich literature discussions via blogging.
I really want to incorporate voice threads into our Social Studies class next year- my first idea is to create a voice thread that will serve as a building background knowledge activity. For our school, I would LOVE to see more teachers embrace technology and become more vocal about putting money towards tools that will help classrooms get more access to the internet. Labs are always busy and until teachers see the power of using tools like blogs, wikis, and voice threads- we will continue having to be stuck without access to the lab.
Literature Review
Noel Falk's Literature Review:
Over the course of the year, I participated in the E2T2 Grant Cohort. Part of what we were charged with doing was to read and reflect on Reinventing Project Based Learning by Suzie Boss and Jane Krauss (2007). Much of this book acted as a confirmation of what I am already doing well. Though it did a good job in highlighting what I need to do to build up my knowledge in my weaker areas of project based learning.
My training in an Expeditionary Learning School over the past few years has changed the way I think about planning, executing plans, assessment and engagement of my students. Boss and Krauss confirmed much of what I already had believed to be important. For example, in Chapter 3, “Imagining The Possibilities”, the authors raise the point that when thinking about your project, teachers need to keep in mind the point of the student. They ask, “Why should they [students] care (52)?” I believe that a project should be meaningful, authentic and realistic to real life. When my teaching partner and I, Stephanie Gallegos, set out to establish Reading Reflection Blogs with our students, our purpose was to provide an avenue for students to critique their own thinking, the author’s and character’s thinking, and each other’s thinking. Though most students will not grow up to be book reviewers, they will need to be able to think critically about their own work, and the work of others and be able to eloquently share their perspectives. Students were engaged in the blogs because they knew their teachers were going to provide feedback to them, as well as their peers, and that they too, would provide feedback.
I also found Chapter 6, “Project Launch – Implementation Strategies” useful and reaffirming. I agree with Boss and Krauss that teachers should take “time to inspire interest and learn what students already know and care about (95).” I liked the section “Ideas for Generating Interest and Promoting Inquiry.” This section discusses ideas on how to immerse students into a project, build curiosity and provide a way to build their background knowledge. When we started our reading blogs, we first introduced students to the reading blogs that Stephanie Gallegos and I were using to reflect on our own reading. We modeled with our blog writing daily of what we expected of our students. After modeling how to use the blog and what to include, we then modeled how we provided each other with feedback. It was a good 6 weeks before students themselves set up their own blogs. However, they were comfortable with the format, comfortable with the content that they needed to include and comfortable with our feedback before we started them in on their own blogs. Setting students up for success is key when thinking about project-based learning.
Most importantly, I found Chapters 9 and 10 the most in line with my educational philosophy. These chapters focused on meaningful assessment and reflection and celebration. On page 141, the authors ask the question, “How will you measure student progress toward the specific learning goals you established in the beginning?” My answer was with communicating the clear intended learning targets/outcomes (based on the state’s standards) at the start of the learning process. Students should be aware, at all time, of where they are now (in attaining the targets), where they are going, and how they will get there. It is with clearly written targets that students can reflect constantly and adjust their learning. Ultimately, it is with reflection that students realize the power of which they are as learners, and what they have learned.
I found, that through reading this book, my weakness in project-based learning is with those projects that require teamwork and collaboration. What I found frustrating about the book is that a lot of examples were offered, but there weren’t many, step by step guidance’s of how to implement. For example, on page 85, there is a section on “Students’ Project-Management Needs” and the authors list project management tools and strategies students will need. This is a great list, but I often felt that there were no concrete explanations on how to achieve some of these ideas.
I also felt overwhelmed with the teacher examples and technology ideas. They are great ideas, but this book is one that I needed to read over the summer so I had the time to research the sites and tools I found captivating.
Stephanie Gallegos' Literature Review:
1. Which element discussed in this book did you find most usefully, if any? Why? What factors made this strategy or concept powerful for you?
While many parts of this book stuck out to me I really found the first section on Professional Learning Communities to be inspiring. The book states, “If I could do one thing for teachers to make school better for students, I’d find a way to have teachers have more time to work with each other and develop collaborative projects.”(Boss & Krauss, p.25) The book goes on to lay out the case for the many positives and benefits to working as a team of teachers on projects. I have to say that this is a critical component of designing, implementing, and assessing projects.
We are fortunate in Eagle County to have time for professional development within cluster, oftentimes cluster is focused on new learning and the chance to sit down with a team of teachers to collaborate on a project together doesn’t happen as often as I would like. In my experience, many schools don’t have team time and if they do that time is spent discussing student needs and problems of the day to day teaching that occur, not long range planning or laying out projects.
What if schools were organized in such a fashion that collaborative planning was put as one of the highest priority? What if teachers were so sold out to the idea of co-creating projects and that norms, protocols, and deep reflection and action were a part of every team planning? I have worked on team where this has been a high value and I have worked on others where it has not. I have enjoyed my teaching the most when I have a team that collaborates, risk takes, and is willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. Oftentimes we work for many hours outside of school and each other homes while our kids play with each other. I am willing to do this but my mind thinks about how nice it would be for the master schedule to reflect the power in this belief.
The introduction to this book is titled, “I’ll never go back” (Boss & Krauss, p. 3). That is exactly how I felt after I started working at an Expeditionary Learning school. Never before had I such rich professional development and watched as I became more of coach, learning with the kids, instead of being the “sage on the stage”. This is why the power of collaboration was on of the most powerful concepts in the book. I believe it to be true. One of the teacher highlights sums up exactly how I feel, “For me it was a tipping point. Working together didn’t cost us anything other than time, but it made a huge difference in our classrooms. This was nourishment for us. It changed my worldview.” (Boss & Krauss, p. 28)
2. Did the content of this book change any aspect of your educational philosophy? Why?
This book did not change any aspect of my educational philosophy; it just confirmed what I believe. It was a good reminder about how planning is essential to instruction and student achievement. It also made me screen projects I have done in the past through the “21st Century Learning” lens. As I development and launch projects I have found myself to be more critical of if the project truly achieves the big ideas, driving questions, hits the standards, and assess what I think I am assessing.
Another belief that was confirmed is student ownership and passing on the project management to the students. I especially enjoyed the section on “Project Management with Technology” where tips were given for teacher and students on how to manage the project. (Boss & Krauss, p.84-85) As teachers this is what we strive for, students doing the work and the thinking and for the teachers to be in the background creating conditions to make this happen.
3. What elements of this book did you find insufficient or left you in need of more information?
This question draws me back to the title, Reinventing Project-Based Learning and while I don’t believe this book was insufficient I kept feeling like if I didn’t have the background I did coming into this cohort on project-based learning I may have been overwhelmed and lost. Reinventing suggests that the reader already knows what project-based learning is. I am glad that I already had a solid understanding of these concepts.
Another area that left me wanting more was not in the area of information but just time. It frustrated me that I didn’t have the time to check out all of the websites and resources in the book. I know that I still have the book as the resource but this book is the type I need to read over the summer so I can process everything in it and then create a plan of action.
I have always been teacher who loves practical ideas and books that has practical ideas. This book is one of them. I will have to re-read this book because I know how many ideas and resources are in here. One suggestion I would like to make is letting teachers have this book the summer before the cohort so those of us like me who really like to process all the information have time to do that.
4. Did the content of this book help you have an increased impact on your student’s learning? How? Please site specific examples.
Above anything else I felt like when we introduced the blog, wiki, photo essay, etc students felt like we were valuing and honoring them as learners. Even when we were having glitch after technical glitch the students hung right they’re with us. When students feel they are being truly thought about and honored they are willing to climb over any obstacle to achieve the expectations set out for them. For specific examples you only need to read some of the comments on the Social Studies wiki to see students weighing in on their own thinking and pushing each other to think deeper. Students blogs also show they are taking serious what we have asked them to do. Evidence of growth can be seen in examples from what students were producing at the beginning to now what kind of synthesis we are seeing.